Nicomedia held the title of "metropolis" and "neokoros" — temple warden of the imperial cult — a status fought over bitterly among Bithynian cities. The neokorate designation, confirmed under Hadrian, gave Nicomedia legal standing to host imperial games and reinforced its primacy over rival Nicaea, a competition that generated substantial local coinage asserting civic rank rather than facilitating commerce.
The reference to ΜΗΤΡοΠ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ places this squarely in that civic rivalry.
Nicomedia held the title of "metropolis" and "neokoros" — temple warden of the imperial cult — a status fought over bitterly among Bithynian cities. The neokorate designation, confirmed under Hadrian, gave Nicomedia legal standing to host imperial games and reinforced its primacy over rival Nicaea, a competition that generated substantial local coinage asserting civic rank rather than facilitating commerce.
The reference to ΜΗΤΡοΠ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ places this squarely in that civic rivalry.